United Nations General Assembly 70th session

General Debate Statement

by

The Hon Julie Bishop MPMinister for Foreign Affairs of Australia

Statement time: Fifteen minutes (voluntary limit)

Check against defivery

Mr President,

We meet today at an important time for the United Nations, 70 years

after its foundation.

Australia's delegate to the San Francisco conference in 1945 [Deputy

PM Ford] described the UN General Assembly as the place where

"the conscience of the peoples of the world should have its most

potent expression".

It is appropriate then, here in the General Assembly chamber, to

reflect on what the United Nations has achieved, and what it needs to

achieve for the future.

The UN provides critical services each and every day, in many parts

of the world.

Often, this important work goes unnoticed or unappreciated by those

not in direct receipt of this support.

Australia recognises the dedicated, often courageous work of the

thousands of UN personnel in the field, who protect vulnerable

civilians, deliver vital humanitarian assistance, rebuild damaged

societies, and support development.

The UN carries out its work in an increasingly hostile environment.

Today, the world faces an unprecedented number of long-running

and seemingly intractable conflicts, generating displacement on a

massive scale and making humanitarian need more dire, than at any

time since the Second World War.

Terrorism today is a global threat.

The magnitude of the development challenge is immense.

However, we must acknowledge the remarkable achievement that is

the UN Charter.

The values and aspirations articulated seven decades ago still guide

us today.

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Australia is proud that, as an active participant at the San Francisco

conference, we crafted a central element of the Charter- Article 56 -

known as "the Australia Pmedge".

Under this Article, UN members pledged to take action, individuaBly

and jointly, to "achieve higher standards of living, ... solutions to

international economic, social, health and related problems..., and

universal respect for and observance of human rights and

fundamental freedoms."

Australia took that pledge on signing the Charter in 1945.

I reiterate that pledge today.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, endorsed

unanimously last Friday on the floor of the General Assembly, is a

manifestation of the Australia Pledge, and a testament to the

fundamental role of this organisation.

Only the United Nations could have produced this remarkable result.

The Sustainable Development Goals are necessarily ambitious.

Consider just the first five: To end extreme poverty everywhere. To

end hunger. To ensure quality education. To ensure healthy lives. To

achieve gender equality.

Should we realise all 17 goals, we will transform our world for the

betterment of humankind.

We must ensure that the remarkable spirit of cooperation displayed

during the negotiation process is maintained as we work to turn these

ambitious goals into reality.

The 2030 Agenda recognises that economic growth -including

through private sector investment and trade - is central to sustainable

development.

The.2030 Agenda also recognises that, while official development

assistance remains important, it is only one source of financing for

devemopment.

The 2030 Agenda affirms that it is the quality of assistance that

matters, and that true partnerships for development are essential -

based on respect and cooperation.

Climate change is a challenge for all nations, and decisive action is

required.

We will only succeed in reducing global emissions if there is

engagement by the entire UN membership.

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Australia has announced a strong, responsible and achievable post-

2020 contribution to international climate action.

We are committed to ensuring the UN Climate Conference in Paris is

the platform needed to secure a collective approach to the 2 degree

goa!.

There is an inescapable truth - we cannot transform our world unless

the place of women within it is transformed.

The 2030 Agenda requires us to achieve nothing less than full

gender equality.

This is not just the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do.

It is essential to achieve sustainable, inclusive and equitable

economic growth.

Australia has established a $50 million Gender Equality Fund to

accelerate support for gender equality in our development program

delivered in our region, the Indo-Pacific.

We must step up the fight against the global scourge of vJomence

against women and girls.

This week, the AustraJian Government announced a new domestic

policy - a $100 milRion women's safety package, improving frontline

support sewices and providing educational resources to help change

community attitudes to violence and abuse.

Similarly, our overseas aid program helps countries in our region in

efforts to eliminate violence against women.

The UN Women, Peace and Security agenda has changed our

collective thinking on the role of women in conflict.

We now need to put it into practice.

That is why Australia has worked with the US to produce the first

military commanders' guide for implementing Women, Peace and

Security in the field.

A key element of the 2030 Agenda is that peaceful and incmusive

societies are essential to achieving sustainable development.

Human rights, good governance and open and inclusive institutions

are crucial foundations for development.

Human rights have been at the very centre of the United Nations

over the past 70 years, from the UN Charter in 1945 to the

Sustainable Development Goals in 2015.

With the rise of terrorists like Daesh, the continuing depredations of

the North Korean regime, and the persistence of forced labour and

other contemporary forms of slavery, the need for the UN to

prosecute a strong human rights agenda has never been more

pressing or urgent.

Australia is standing for the UN Human Rights Council for the

2018-20 term - this is the first time that my country has sought

election to this body.

I believe that Australia would bring to the Human Rights Council the

same principled and practical approach that distinguished our 2013-

14 Security Council term.

Should we be elected, our focus would be on empowering women

and girls, strengthening governance and democratic institutions,

promoting freedom of expression, and advancing human rights for all.

Australia would be at the forefront of efforts to hold to account those

responsible for human rights abuses, and to build more effective

preventative and accountability measures.

We would be unrelenting in our efforts to secure abolition of the death

penalty.

Our term on the Human Rights Council would reflect Australia's

inclusive, diverse society, and build on the Australian Government's

strong domestic human rights agenda.

There are nations for which the aspirations of the 2030 Agenda -

indeed the promises of the UN Charter- appear remote,

unachievable.

The 'scourge of war' continues to tear apart famiJies, communities,

countries, and entire regions.

As a non-permanent member of the Security Council, we experienced

first-hand the difficulties the Council faces in responding to the crises

and conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, South Sudan, Central

African Republic and Mali.

Nowhere is the devastation greater than in Iraq and Syria.

Daesh is wreaking devastating harm on individuals, families and

communities and destroying the world's heritage, in gross violation of

international law and basic concepts of morality.

It cannot be allowed to prevail.

Australia is participating in coaJition military action to combat Daesh Jn

Iraq and Syria.

We are doing so within the framework of the Charter, and in a

manner consistent with international law.

Defeating Daesh requires both military and political action.

Reconciliation and inclusive governance in Iraq are key to reducing

Daesh's appeal and support.

We continue to advocate for a political solution that can bring an end

to the conflict in Syria, and we support UN envoy de Mistura's efforts

towards this end.

We do not believe any transition option should be rejected, all

permutations of a political solution should be assessed with clear-

eyed realism.

Australia is committed to defeating terrorism in all its forms.

We are responding to the challenges of violent extremism and foreign

terrorist fighters, taking on those who would exploit our openness and

modern communications to commit violence and promote terror.

The humanitarian consequences of the conflicts in Syria and Iraq are

devastating.

I commend neighbouring countries - Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey -

which continue to bear the brunt of the population of displaced

persons.

Australia has provided $230 milnion in humanitarian assistance since

the start of the conflict.

The massive flows of displaced peopme across the Middle East and

into Europe have stretched response capacities to breaking point.

In this environment, people smugglers will strive to prosper from their

dangerous and criminal trade.

Australia's firm response to people smuggling, and continued

cooperation with our regional partners, have saved thousands of lives

of those who would otherwise have succumbed to the false promises

of people smugglers.

It has also enabled us to give refuge to those most in need.

Consistent with our record over decades of resettHing permanently

thousands of refugees, Australia was pleased to announce recently

that we would resettle permanently an additional 12,000 UNHCR

registered refugees from Syria and Iraq, particularly those who are

unlikely to have a home to which they might return.

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We also announced $44 million in funding to support 240,000

displaced people on the borders.

The global humanitarian system is struggling to cope with the

escalating demands.

The World Humanitarian Summit in May next year must deliver a

nimble humanitarian system which responds to different types of

humanitarian crises in the most effective fashion.

The only long-term solution to these man-made crises can be a

political one - to bring these conflicts to an end.

Australia's recent experience as a Security Council member

confirmed that the Council's role is more essential than ever.

The Security Council can only perform its role if it has the tools it

needs. The role of peacekeeping is fundamental.

Yesterday I joined others in pledging renewed operational support for

the UN peacekeeping system.

Australian airlift was vital in the UN's early response to the South

Sudan crisis; we have pledged to provide C-17 Globemaster and C-

130 Hercules aircraft to help UN peacekeepers respond to crises

where and whenever we can in the future.

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We recognise that the UN needs more tools for peacebuimding, to

help vulnerable states emerge from crisis and prevent them from

falling back into violence and disorder.

Australia is looking forward to co-chairing, with Angola, the

consultations on the Peacebuilding Architecture review later this year.

We need to strengthen this crucial element of conflict prevention.

Another central lesson from Australia's term on the Council was that

accountabiJity is crucial in preventing cycles of violence.

The International Criminal Court has a critical role to play and

requires our support.

Additionally, Australia remains determined to hold to account those

responsible for the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in July

2014.

We will not let a Russian veto impede the efforts of countries grieving

the loss of their citizens and demanding justice for the perpetrators of

this atrocity.

All states must uphold their responsibility to protect civilians from

the most serious international crimes.

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Security Council members have a particular responsibility to do so.

In that context, we welcome proposals to restrain use of the veto

where mass atrocity crimes are being committed.

Australia's term on the Security Council in 2013-14 demonstrated that

elected members can play an active and constructive role.

[ am therefore pleased to announce that Australia is nominating to

serve again on the CounoiJ, for the 2029-30 term.

Mr President,

We do not underestimate the chaJJenges facing all of us - equa[Jy we

should not downplay the opportunities.

We remain confident that, working together, we can realise the

enduring promise of the Charter - for Australians, for our region, and

for the international community.

Thank you Mr President.

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